Shifter III: Demons of Creation
by HolmesianDeduction
Summary: In the final piece in the Shifter Trilogy Onyx, Knives, and Vash must cooperate with each other as well as the nephew of an old friend and enemy to combat the second most dangerous woman in the world, who has targeted them for her vengeance.
1. Sorrow

_--1 mile outside of December City_

Sighing mournfully, a young woman of about twenty-nine dropped a small, desert rose onto a tiny grave lot marked by a crooked cross.

"My dear, dear friend Nicholas…you know I never intended for you to die this way." She shook her head, causing her long, black hair to ruffle like raven feathers.

"Ever since we first met those many years ago, I had steeled myself against your inevitable death. Being what I am, I always knew that I would long outlive you, but I wish I could have known you for a little longer. Oh Nicholas, how was I to know that Evergreen would betray us? How was I to know?"

Sighing, she took a knife and sliced off a lock of jet-black hair. Wrapping it around a second rose, she placed it on the grave. "Looking back, I am truly sorry that I was never able to return your love…but I'm glad that in the end, you finally found someone who could love you back…so now, like you, I must move on with my life, but in soul, we will always be friends."

Suddenly, a young man with short, pale blonde hair and deep, bluish lavender eyes appeared about three feet away. He was wearing a loose button-down shirt and pants; both probably stolen from the ruins below. His arms were covered in bloodied rags that had been used as makeshift bandages. Wincing, he placed a hand on her shoulder, "Onyx…we should go now; there are people coming."

She shook her head, "Let them come. I want to finish paying my respects."

He glanced down at the gravesite, "You cared deeply for this man, didn't you?"

She glanced up at him with smoky gray eyes, "No…not as much as I probably should have…perhaps I could have saved him…" Sighing, she turned away, "Fine. Let's go…I have no time for self-pity." She lowered her voice, "Besides, your brother is among those approaching, and I have no wish to confront him just yet…he blames me for all this, you know."

Knives nodded, "I figured as much…the bike's at the bottom of the hill, if we're going over land, but you'll have to drive it. I'm not horribly good at driving those things."

She nodded, "Very well, let's get out of this hell-hole."

About ten feet from the gravesite, Vash and Meryl stopped. Vash winced, "Millie," he began quietly, "I know you and Wolfwood were very close…maybe it would be best if you went on alone?"

Millie sighed sadly, her light blue eyes glistening, "Yeah…is that okay with you two?"

Vash glanced at Meryl, and she nodded, "It's alright Millie. Go ahead."

Nodding, Millie approached the grave and stopped short. There, on the grave were three roses. On the left was a black rose, on the right was a blue rose, and twined around the middle was a desert rose wrapped around what appeared to be a clump of raven feathers, but when she reached out and grabbed them, they were merely a lock of black hair. _What's this?_ she thought wonderingly. But suddenly, the hair shifted and changed into a pile of dark feathers. As the transformation took place, Vash approached in time to see it happen.

His eyes widened, "Did that just do what I think it did?"

Millie looked up, "It changed…"

Vash looked up at the sky, the sunlight glinting off his glasses. "She was here…" _Onyx…why did you visit Wolfwood's grave so openly? Were the two of you really that close?_


	2. Denial

After a week or so, Onyx and Knives arrived at a small grove near a geoplant. Leaving the bike at the edge of the grotto, Knives leaned against a tree while Onyx went in search of water.

When she finally returned, she gestured back in the direction from which she had come, "There's a pool at the far end of the grove where you can wash and change your bandages."

He frowned, "And you?"

Onyx shrugged, "I've already washed." Looking closer, he noticed that her hair was wet and shiny with moisture. "Now if you'll excuse me; I have some business to attend to. I'm leaving the bike here; meet me in New Miami in three days."

Knives leapt up and grabbed her wrist, "Wait!"

Onyx froze, "What?"

He tightened his grip, "Don't go…last time you left, you didn't come back."

She attempted to pull away, and narrowing her eyes into narrow slits, she replied, "I _said_ you could meet me within a few days! Now let go!"

Suddenly Knives did something he had never done before: he ignored Onyx's warning. Pulling her toward him, he narrowed his eyes. "No Onyx. Never again. I'm coming with you, one way or another."

Onyx raised an eyebrow, "Why the hell would you want to do that?"

He pressed his face against hers, "Because I don't want to lose you. Because I want to stay with you. Because I—" Stopping short, he looked away.

Eyes wide, she pulled away, and before Knives could say anything to stop her, she had already flown off. Sighing, he collapsed by a tree covered in burn scars, and attempted to sleep.


	3. Turmoil

_--1 day later, the Desert Oasis Bar and Casino, New Miami._

"So old Midvalley offed himself, huh?" A young man with longish gray-black hair and vivid aquamarine eyes leaned back in his chair and slipped off his black suit jacket to reveal an open-necked, teal silk shirt. "That's too bad. I always told him that Legato fellow was bad news."

He leaned forward, "It's been awhile Onyx. You look great, as usual."

Onyx sighed, "Cut the crap Shiro. Besides, I'm not here to talk about your uncle."

Shiro arched an eyebrow, "Oh? What is it then? If it's that so-called priest, I've already told you what to do with _him_."

Onyx narrowed her eyes, "Nicholas is dead…not that you care. Besides, this is about something else."

Leaning forward so that his chin almost touched the table, Shiro grinned slyly, "Who is it? Maybe I can hook you up."

Rolling her smoky orbs irritably, the bounty hunter shook her head, "No, I have someone who is causing trouble for me, and this is not the kind of person you just 'hook up' with."

Shiro sighed in disappointment, "What a pity...your romances are so few and far between, I'm sure I'll be dead before another one comes along." He shook his head, "So, who do you want me to kill?"

Onyx tilted her head, "Who said I wanted to have anyone killed?" She shrugged, "And I never had any romances, so lay off."

Shiro frowned, "You did not love Wolfwood? The why visit his grave?"

She sighed, "He was one of my few close friends, it was important for me to pay my respects."

He nodded, "I see…"

"Dammit!" Onyx's muttered curse brought Shiro to attention.

"What is it?" he hissed.

She got up and gestured for him to stand by her, "Time just ran out."

Drawing his gun, Shiro stood at her back. "Stop talking in riddles Onyx! What the hell is it?"

Ignoring him, the bounty hunter nodded and her twin revolvers flipped into her hands, "I should've known she'd connect the three of us to the incident…she's a tenacious one, I'll give her that."

"Onyx!" Midvalley's nephew shouted, "What the hell is—oh shit!!" Suddenly, the young assassin was thrown back against the wall by an unseen force.

Sighing, Knives didn't notice the speck on the horizon until it was almost too late. Putting on the breaks, he managed to just miss the hooded figure standing in the middle of the road.

"Hey!" a familiar voice yelled, "What the hell was that for?!"

Momentarily taken aback, Knives blinked, "_Vash_? Is that you?"

The man nodded and the hood fell back to reveal a head of pointy blonde hair and a smiling face with green eyes. "Yeah…how did you know who I—"his mouth dropped open, "_Knives_?!"

Nodding briskly, Knives gestured for him to hop in the sidecar, "Where are you headed?"

Vash shrugged, "New Miami. You?"

His twin glanced down, "The same…I have to meet someone there."

The green-eyed disaster raised an eyebrow, "Onyx?"

Knives stopped the bike, nearly flipping Vash off, "How do you know?"

Vash shrugged nonchalantly and cast a knowing glance at his twin, "She seems to be the only person you might be interested in meeting…at least that I know of anyway." When Knives didn't respond, he leaned back in his seat, "Anyway, there seems to be trouble brewing over there, and I'm willing to bet that she's involved."

As the bike began moving again, Vash turned toward Knives, "Look, I know this is a touchy subject for you, but are you still hell-bent on destroying the human race?"

Sighing, Knives glanced at his brother with an expression bordering on disgust, "I don't know…lately it seems I'm more intent on my own destruction."

As Vash studied his twin more closely, he noticed for the first time that Knives was in pretty bad condition. There were dark rings around his eyes from lack of sleep, his expression was haggard, and his usually well-groomed hair was scraggly and unkept.

Knives sped up the bike, "Tell me Vash…that dead man…what was his connection to Onyx?"

Vash raised an eyebrow, "Who? Wolfwood? I'm not sure…they were obviously friends, but how far that went, I don't know. It seemed to me to be a case of simple unrequited love."

Knives frowned, "_What?_"

The humanoid typhoon looked at his twin sideways, "Wolfwood loved her, but for whatever reason, she didn't love him back."

The lavender-eyed killer shrugged, "Oh." Then they rode on in silence.


	4. Threat

Onyx narrowed her eyes dangerously, "What are you doing here, you bitch?"

Suddenly, a vague form appeared in the doorway. _My brother's death will be avenged…kill yourself…NOW!_

Onyx smirked, You know not whom you trifle with Alona! Whirling into action, she fired off three shots into the doorway. There was a bloodcurdling shriek and then the shape vanished.

Stumbling to his feet, Shiro looked around, "Who the hell was that?"

Onyx sighed and replaced her pistols, "I'll tell you at dinner. Let's go."

_--5 minutes later, Joe Mill's Bar and Grill._

Shiro downed his fifth shot and looked up, "Aren't you going to tell me who the hell that was back there?"

Sipping her martini carefully, Onyx gazed coolly at her half-drunken companion, "Her name is Alona Bluesummers, and she is Legato's younger sister."

Shiro spat out his drink, "Legato had a _sister_?!"

She nodded, "Yes. She looks as though she could be his twin, but the truth is she's much more powerful than her brother and almost twice as twisted. She was always hopelessly devoted to him, so I'm not surprised she came after us."

The saxophone player shrugged, "Fine. Let's just get the hell out of here then."

Onyx shook her head, "I've got to meet someone first."

Shiro arched an eyebrow, "Who?"

She got up, "A friend."

As they left the restaurant, a young boy with snowy white hair and gray eyes ran up and tugged on Onyx's coat. Kneeling down, Onyx ruffled the boy's hair, "What's your name, boy?"

Narrowing his eyes, the boy hesitated, "Ishon."

She nodded, "Would you like something to eat, Ishon?"

When it looked as if the boy was about to say yes, his head jerked off to the side and a momentary flicker of fear crossed his face. Shaking his head frantically, he thrusted a small piece of paper into her hands and ran away.

Frowning, she opened the scrap of paper. It read:

"_Jeneora Rock; one week."_

Sighing, she placed the note in her pocket and walked into the nearest bar.


	5. Reminiscence

Finally Knives spoke for the first time since Vash got on the bike. "So you're sure they weren't like ex-lovers or something?"

Vash raised an eyebrow, "Is that jealousy I hear in your voice Knives?" He laughed, "No. I'm quite positive that they were just friends, nothing more." Looking around, he frowned, "Are you sure this is the right place?"

Knives nodded, "I'm positive. She should be here any minute now."

Suddenly Onyx walked up to the table followed by a young man with a saxophone slung across his back. As she sat down, Onyx glanced at Vash. "Didn't expect to see you here."

Vash shrugged, "Something came up. Who's this?" he gestured toward her companion, "He looks familiar."

She glanced at the young man, "Oh, this is Shiro. I'm not surprised you found him familiar. He's Midvalley's nephew and a decent assassin in his own right." She turned to Shiro. "Shiro, these are my accomplices, Knives and Vash."

Shiro nodded, "Nice to meetcha."

After a moment, Onyx sighed, "Well it's just as well you came here Vash…I probably would have ended up seeking you out anyway."

Vash frowned, "What do you mean?"

She grimaced, "I mean that the three of us are in very grave danger…Knives, do you recall Legato's sister?"

Knives frowned, "His sister? Hmmm…oh shit! You mean to say that Alona's after us?"

Onyx nodded, "She wants a showdown in Jeneora Rock next week." She winced as Vash yawned and Shiro began slumping under the table. Turning to Knives, she sighed, "Come on, I've got reservations across the street."

After they left Vash and Shiro in their room, Onyx and Knives stopped outside room 116. Sighing, Onyx handed him a key, "You're in room 115 between Vash and Shiro's room and my own." She ran a hand through her hair, "Now if you'll excuse me…"

Knives nodded and opened the door to his room, "Of course…I'm sure you're tired from today's events. Goodnight Onyx."

Glancing up, she gave him one of those rare smiles of hers, "Goodnight Knives." And then she disappeared behind her door.


	6. DarkSide

It was midnight when Knives awoke with the feeling he was being watched. Flipping on the lights, he looked around but there was no one there. Silently, he slipped into the hall and approached Onyx's door. _Maybe Onyx sensed it too…_

Trying the door and finding it unlocked, he slipped inside. Onyx was awake in bed with her light on. She wore a loose, black silk shirt and pants, with a small pair of reading glasses balanced on her nose. In her hands she held open a thick, raggedy looking book in her lap. Without even looking up, she gestured for him to sit at the end of the bed, "Trouble sleeping? Me too."

Knives nodded, "What are you reading? I don't think I've ever seen a book that thick."

She shrugged, "It was one of the ones salvaged from Earth. This one was Felix's favorite, so I kept it."

He frowned, "What's it about?"

Onyx closed the book, "It's about a man who becomes immortal, but finds that he can't stand seeing his friends dying while he stays young, so he tries to regain his humanity and become mortal again."

When Knives didn't answer, she set the book aside and leaned toward him, "What's wrong?"

He sighed, "Don't you think that it sounds like the three of us?"

Onyx shrugged, "Perhaps…but we are different. You said it yourself once. We never have been, and never will be human."

Knives sighed, "True…but we think like humans sometimes, don't we?"

She arched an eyebrow, "Oh really? What are you thinking then?"

He gestured for her to lean in closer, "Here, I'll tell you…" When she finally obliged and leaned forward, he grabbed both sides of her face and kissed her; hesitantly at first, then more fiercely as he grew more confidant that she wasn't going to strike him dead.

And to his surprise, she kissed him back just as fiercely, twining her fingers into his short, blonde hair until his head hurt. With a blink of Onyx's eye, the light was turned off by an unseen force.

_"Dammit, Felix!" the captain cried, "The girl's a monster! We can't just allow her to wander about unhindered! Don't you understand what even a tiny bit of her blood could do?! She's just too powerful!!"_

_Felix Saverem, a young man with short, black hair and hazel eyes shook his head, "I won't let you harm Onyx! There has to be an alternative!"_

_Suddenly, the head engineer stepped forward. "I have a way," she gestured toward the computer banks, "I can easily manipulate her genetic patterns to render her sterile. That way, no one is in danger, and she gets to live."_

_Sighing, Felix nodded, "Very well."_

It was three a.m. when Onyx finally awoke from her dream. Moving silently, so as not to wake Knives, she slipped out of her clothes and took a brief shower before changing into her traveling clothes, but as she reached into the pockets of her duster, she felt the crackle of paper. Pulling the sheet out, she read:

"_Jeneora Rock; six days."_

Stuffing the piece of paper in her pocket, Onyx headed up to the roof to ponder her unique predicament.


	7. Realize

Silently, Vash stood up. Moving carefully to avoid bothering Shiro, he crept out into the hall. Trying the door to Onyx's room, he found it unlocked, and he slipped inside.

"Hey Ony—" Suddenly, he spotted Knives curled up at the end of the bed. He looked around, but there was no sign of Onyx.

Suddenly, he felt a cool hand on his shoulder, "What are you doing in my room?"

Spinning around, he saw Onyx, her hair wet with the morning dew. There was a dangerous glint in her eyes. He stuttered, "I-I was looking for you."

Leading him inside, she gestured for him to sit down, "Whatever for?"

Vash sighed, "Well, I wanted to talk to you about Jeneora Rock, but…" he hesitated and glanced at Knives nervously.

Onyx raised an eyebrow, "Oh relax. He couldn't sleep, so we stayed up and talked until he conked out. I've been out on the roof all this time."

Vash glanced at her, "Do you love my brother?"

She shrugged, but did not meet his gaze, "Maybe."

Sighing, he tried another tactic, "Would you ever want to have kids?"

At this, she looked at him angrily, "I can't."

He frowned, "What do you mean?"

Onyx gritted her teeth, "I mean it's a physical impossibility. The ability was gene spliced out of me shortly after birth," she laughed bitterly. "'She's too dangerous' she said. 'She's already more powerful than Rem's males' they said. 'Do you know what even a tiny bit of her blood could do?' they said."

Eyes flashing dangerously, she threw a coffee mug across the room, and unbeknownst to them, Knives opened one eye.

She leapt up, "They tried to kill me dammit! 'She can't be allowed to wander about unhindered' they said." Shaking with rage, she banged her fist on the table, "The bastards were calling for my death, dammit! Felix told me that the only way they would allow me to live is if I allowed Dr. Minia to alter my genetic pattern. So I did."

Sighing, she finally slumped into an armchair, "So here I am, an emotionless shell plagued by emotions on all sides…and now this. I just have no luck." Suddenly, she glanced at Knives's still form. "How long have you been listening in on our conversation Knives?"

Knives glanced up, both eyes wide open, "Ever since you threw the cup across the room…it woke me up." He got up and sat down between her and Vash, "Why didn't you ever tell me this?"

She snorted, "It wasn't any of your business. It still isn't." Before the twins could respond, she got up and stalked toward the door, "I've got some tomas tethered out back. Vash, wake up Shiro and tell him we're leaving."


	8. Biding Time

Several miles away, a young woman with blue hair and glittering, gold eyes winced as a young boy with white hair tightened the bandage on her leg. "Dammit Ishon!" she hissed, "Can't you be a little gentler?"

Ishon shrugged, "Not if you want it to get better." He sighed, "I told you this was a bad idea Alona. Onyx is much too powerful for you to even subdue, much less kill her. You should have looked for one of the males."

Alona shrugged, "She was the closest one. Besides, she is the leader; the other two follow her around like lost puppies…" she smirked, "Especially 'Master' Knives."

Ishon nodded, "He _is_ quite taken with her, Alona…not even he is completely impervious to emotion." He frowned, "But why go after Onyx? It was Vash who killed Legato, not the other two."

Alona narrowed her eyes, "But Onyx arranged everything. It's what she was made for. Vash may be the Protector, and Knives is most definitely the Destroyer…but Onyx is the Interloper: the puppet-master behind it all. Indirectly or not, it was her who truly killed my brother and I want her dead."

As Vash and Onyx rode ahead, plotting their course, Shiro brought his toma up alongside Knives.

"It seems that Onyx is quite taken with you, you lucky bastard." He paused, "But actually, I'm not sure whether to congratulate you or offer my consolations."

Knives tilted his head in puzzlement, "What do you mean, Shiro?"

Shiro shrugged, "On the upside, she's everything a guy could want: intelligent; beautiful; dramatic; a real spit-fire." He glanced at Knives, "On the downside, however, she's the ultimate ice queen: absolutely no emotion to speak of, let alone a capacity for love."

Knives shrugged nonchalantly, "I wouldn't be so sure about that…" He shivered remembering the relentless passion she had revealed to him the night before.

The assassin smiled, "You know her well?"

The human/plant hybrid smiled back, "Sixty-three years give or take a decade."

Shiro chuckled, "I see…you know her _extremely_ well…"

Not knowing how to respond to that last remark, Knives spurred his toma on ahead of the human. _Dammit!_ he thought. _What does he know that I don't?!_

Watching the back of Knives's head, Shiro sighed, "You lucky bastard, you."


	9. Doubt

_--Two miles outside of Jeneora Rock._

As the sun sank below the horizon and twilight set in, Onyx brought the party to a halt. After setting up camp, Onyx looked at her three companions. "First of all, we will need to have a pair of guards up throughout the night at all times."

Shiro's hand shot up, "I vote that Onyx and Knives take the first watch."

Everyone stared at the young assassin in absolute silence. Finally, Vash grinned and raised his hand, "I second that notion."

Raising an eyebrow, Onyx glanced at Knives, "Very well…we'll wake you at midnight for your shift."

As they reached the outskirts of the camp, Knives squeezed Onyx's shoulder, "Are you all right, Onyx? You seem really stressed out."

Shaking her head, the bounty hunter looked up, "No…this is all wrong…I usually know exactly what will happen in a situation like this…you could say I'm a bit of a hunchman. I get hunches about things…but I don't see anything, and I don't know why."

She looked back down at the ground, "I'm so used to knowing exactly what's happening around me, and suddenly, it seems all of my hunches have abandoned me…this has never happened before and I'm worried…I've never been worried before in my entire life."

Overcome by a sudden rush of concern, Knives held her close and stroked her long, black hair with slender ivory fingers. "Oh Onyx…why did it have to be you? We were doomed from the start weren't we?"

Startled by this sudden display of affection, Onyx's first instinct was to pull away, but instead she allowed him to continue stroking her hair in silence. _For whatever reason, this man truly cares for me._ she thought, wonderingly. _The question is can I find it in me to return the favor?_

Lifting her chin with his hand, Knives kissed her tenderly with none of the passion of the hotel encounter. His tenderness surprised her, yet she found herself kissing him back, wrapping her arms around his neck as if he might vanish at any second. Then, just as quickly as it had begun, the moment ended, and they parted, neither one meeting the other's gaze.

Finally Knives spoke up, "Onyx, what will you do if you find Alona?"

"I _will_ find her," Onyx murmured with quiet ferocity, "And when I do—" she paused, "The situation will be dealt with the appropriate finality."

The look on Onyx's face was so terrible that Knives finally looked away. It was painfully clear to him that the subject was closed for discussion.

As the fire dwindled, Shiro poked at it with a stick. He gestured off in the direction where Onyx and Knives had disappeared. "So, what do you think of _that?_"

Vash shrugged, "I don't know…Knives is head-over-heels for her—I know that look, but personally, I think that he'll end up heartbroken in the end."

Shiro frowned, "How long have you known Onyx, Vash?"

Vash shook his head, "I'm not sure…four years maybe?"

The assassin nodded, "Yeah, well I've known Onyx practically since birth, and let me tell you," he paused and lit up a cigarette, "She is the queen of all ice queens; no emotions…yet I think Knives will fare well."

Vash frowned, "How so?"

Pausing to exhale some smoke, Shiro turned an aquamarine eye toward the heavens, "What most people don't know about Onyx is that the woman is possessed of an intense passion, and despite her lack of conventional emotions, she is actually a highly sensual creature…only three people were able to see this inner fire behind those cool, gray eyes of hers: Nicholas D. Wolfwood, Legato Bluesummers, and myself. We all loved her for it, yet she tended to ignore it, and the three of us became her confidants." He sighed, "It became my theory that she was looking for someone else. Someone who she wouldn't have to watch grow old and die…now it seems she finally found him."

Vash raised an eyebrow, "You truly believe that she loves my brother?"

Shiro nodded, "I _know_ that she loves him. That look she sometimes gives him: I've never seen that look on her face before…whatever it is that passes for love in her mind, she has it for your brother."

At this, Vash smiled sadly, "Someone once told me that no one, no matter how dark their heart may be, was beyond redemption…I didn't understand it then, but now it's beginning to make sense."

Shiro shrugged, "On one hand, you could be right, the two of them _could_ be the ultimate in redemption…"He tossed his cigarette into the fire, "But on the other hand, it could be a match made in hell. Combine her cunning and his sense of purpose, with their combined power, and the human race is as good as dead."

Vash glanced at his watch, "Shoot! It's already ten! I'm going to sleep!"

Shiro nodded, "Goodnight Vash. See you in about two hours."

Turning back toward the fire, Shiro removed his saxophone from its case and began to tune it. "Oh Onyx…" he murmured, as bringing the saxophone's mouthpiece to his lips, he began playing a strange mournful tune he had been taught since birth.


	10. Pain

_--Jeneora Rock; the next day._

Silently, Onyx, Knives Vash, and Shiro crept through the deserted town. Looking around, Vash sighed; "Thank god the people evacuated in time."

Onyx nodded, "She has four others with her. Vash; you take the one hiding in the bar. Shiro and Knives; you take the two on the rooftops. The boy is scared stiff and probably won't attack."

Knives glanced at her worriedly and Shiro elbowed Vash in the ribs, "And what about Alona?"

Onyx narrowed her eyes into silver slits, "The church at Jeneora's peak…she's mine

With that, the group began to split up, but Onyx pulled Knives aside, "Be careful…come back to me in one piece, okay?"

Knives smiled grimly, "You too, Onyx…I don't know what I'd do if I lost you…I truly care for you, you know."

Onyx looked down, "I know you do…I'll come back: I promise."

And with that, she was gone.

Alona glanced up in surprise as Onyx entered the church alone. She smiled, "So, you've come alone? Where are your little helpers?"

Onyx narrowed her eyes, "I don't need them to take out a bitch like you." With a blink of her eye, her twin revolvers launched themselves into her hands.

Alona nodded, "Very impressive, but how about this?" Suddenly, a pair of short swords appeared in her hands.

The bounty hunter shrugged, "It's a simple trick…if you find that impressive, you've no hope."

Eyes glittering with rage, Alona leapt forward. Sidestepping, Onyx managed to avoid the full force of the blow, gaining only a nick in one arm. Flipping herself onto the alter, she fired off two shots from her guns. The first shot landed beside Alona's foot, throwing her off balance while the second shot grazed the side of her head.

Crying out in pain and anger, Alona launched herself at Onyx and plunged a blade deep into Onyx's collarbone while slashing at her face with the other. Gritting her teeth, Onyx winced as she felt the sword puncture her right lung. Trying to ignore the pain, the bounty hunter fired the gun she held in her left hand. The shot nailed Alona square in the elbow, flinging her backwards toward the ground.

Pulling the blade free, Onyx leapt off of the alter to where Alona lay on the ground, stunned.

"You've caused me a lot of trouble Alona," the bounty hunter whispered menacingly, "You've wasted a lot of my time. Don't expect me to make this quick for you…" With a single fluid motion, she shot out both of the psychic's legs. "No, you're not going to die yet…I imagine this hurts like a bitch though."

Suddenly, looking into the girl's features, she seemed to change her mind and she shot Alona point blank in the head. Shiro's voice rang out in the darkness, "Onyx, look out!!"

There was a resounding shot, and Onyx felt a strange burning pain in the middle of her spine. Turning, she saw the young, white-haired boy staring at her grimly, a still-smoking gun in his hand. "Why you little bastard!" she hissed, bringing her pistol level with the boy's head. Suddenly, she went into a spasm of coughing, and when she pulled her hand away, she was astonished to see it was covered in red blood—her blood. "Shit…I'm dead…" she murmured as she slumped over Alona's corpse.

Eyes wide, Shiro watched as Onyx slumped to the ground. Pulling out his gun, the young assassin turned on the boy. "You bastard!!" he screamed, "You killed her, you bastard, you fucking killed her!!!" Knocking the boy to the ground, he emptied his entire gun into the kid's body—all fifteen rounds. Collapsing to the ground, he pounded his fist on the boy's chest. "You killed her you bastard!" he sobbed, "You fucking killed her!! Oh Onyx…"

Suddenly Knives ran into the room. "Onyx!" he called, "Onyx, I—" Suddenly, he spotted her still form lying in a pool of blood, "Oh my god, no! Onyx!" he knelt next to her body, his lavender eyes wide. "No Onyx! Come on, open your eyes! Don't leave me like this Onyx!! You promised me you'd come back!!"

Vash put a hand on his twin's shoulder, "Knives, she's dead and there's nothing you can-"

"No!!" Knives shrieked, shoving Vash aside, "She can't be dead!: he broke into ragged sobbing, "S-she promised me she'd never leave me again! She promised! Please Onyx, open your eyes!! Don't die!"

When Onyx didn't respond, Knives tilted back his head and just screamed in pure agony, _"ONYX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"_


	11. Epilogue: Death

_Suddenly Onyx opened her eyes and felt along her spine. She frowned, The bleeding's stopped…does this mean I'm still alive?_

_She looked up, How the hell? I should be dead!_

_Suddenly Knives burst into the room and her expression brightened, "Knives! You made it! I'm alive!"_

_A terrible look of agony crossed Knives's features as his lavender eyes filled with tears, "Onyx…oh god no."_

_Onyx took a step toward him, "Knives, what's the matter? It's not as bad as it—?!" Suddenly, Knives broke into a run and ran right __through__ her._

_(Oh my god, Onyx! No! Come on Onyx, open your eyes! Don't leave me Onyx!!)_

_Stunned, the bounty hunter stared at her bloodstained hands, H-he ran right through me…but you can't pass through solid matter— Her gray eyes widened in sudden, horrifying realization, Unless I'm not solid matter anymore?!_

_Behind her, she heard Knives's near hysterical sobbing, "Onyx! Come back Onyx! Don't leave me all alone like this! You promised me, Onyx!!"_

_Sinking to her knees, Onyx put her head in her hands, I can't bring myself to turn around…I'm afraid of what I'll see if I do… she shook her head, Knives stop it. Stop talking…please just stop it Knives; just stop! I'm dead, dammit! I'm not coming back; I can't help it!! Just stop crying Knives, you damned fool! Oh god…I don't need to hear this! Dammit…_


	12. Afterwards: The Aftermath

_--July 13__th_

_Not long after Onyx's death, the three of us went back to the ruins of December City. There, we buried Onyx Faustnoir next to her old friend, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. We buried her beloved jasper revolvers with her._

_Eventually, we reached Augusta City, where we met up with Meryl and Millie. Shiro stuck around for a while and then went back to New Miami saying something about checking on his "business". I soon got over Onyx's death; I figured that was what she'd want…but such was not the case with Knives._

_My brother was heartbroken. He had fallen deeply in love with Onyx only to see his world crumble before his very eyes. He was broken both spiritually and mentally. We frequently tried to help him, but he locked himself in his room, and spent days scouring over a strange book that he refused to let anyone else touch._

_Then one morning, Knives simply disappeared into the desert without telling anyone. That was three months ago, and there has still been no word from him. Even Shiro is unaware of his whereabouts._

_My guess is that we will never hear from him again…I hate to give up hope, but I saw the look in Knives's eyes when he saw Onyx lying on the floor of the church in a pool of blood…and frankly, I think that Knives went off into the desert to die, to sleep. I think that life without Onyx, knowing that there was nothing he could have done to save her, had become too unbearable for him and that he just had to end it alone…I don't really know any of this, but I do know my brother, and when last I saw him, he was already a dead man; in soul if not in body._

_--Vash the Stampede_


End file.
